My senses were on overload as I walked through the side door leading into a bay area with two lifts. On one of the lifts was a teal-colored Jeepster. On the other, a stunning blue Cherokee Chief. And resting near the rear entryway, a completely stripped-down white Cherokee Chief awaited its resurrected life as a modern classic. It was as if I had entered a modern-day Dr. Frankenstein laboratory, only this time it wasn’t a person being resurrected. It was a slew of old school Jeeps whose previous life had been completely worn and had entered a transitionary phase en route to becoming much improved. It was akin to Jeep Life 2.0. The doctor? Daniel van Doveren and his crew at Jeep Heritage.
adjective: accorded a great deal of respect, especially because of age, wisdom, or character.
Adventure travel has long lurked in the marrow of the bones of homo sapiens. There must be something irresistible about the allure of exploring the unknown when men and women like Sir Ernest Shackleton, Amelia Earhart, and those trusting or foolish enough to join them are willing to leave the comforts of home to risk life and limb. Modes of propulsion are many and, once lit, the flame of adventure leaps quickly from candle to bush to tree. For some, Scouting first whetted the appetite. For others, it was a walk in the woods with Dad or a fishing trip with Grandpa. Perhaps it was that pre-adolescent thrill as the clutch was jerkily engaged on the old Jeep. Maybe it was the magical centrifugal sensation during a first motorcycle ride that stuck in our gut like a captive butterfly. Whatever event or combination thereof, when the tinder of adventure is ready, a spark is enough to set our world ablaze.
Whether riding on or off pavement, wearing proper safety gear is crucial while on two wheels. Two pieces of gear that have become mainstays of my adventure riding travels include the tried and true, American-made Darien jacket from Aerostich and the latest in helmet technology, the Krios Pro ECE, from Klim.
Although synthetic fuels are considered a realistic alternative to make car traffic more climate-friendly, availability is poor. Porsche wants to change this. “With electricity alone, you can't move forward fast enough,” says Michael Steiner, who is in charge of R&D at Porsche.
Introduced in 2008 but not arriving stateside until 2010, the Kia Soul has spent the last decade leading the way in the subcompact crossover arena. Now, for 2020, the third generation of the Kia Soul has arrived and it’s undoubtedly the best iteration yet.
Kia’s Soul has been synonymous with a young, hip crowd looking for a fun vehicle at an attainable price. For 2020, Kia has expanded the Soul line-up with the GT-Line, a peppy 1.6L 4-cylinder turbo version that’s sporty, fresh, and overall a joy to ride.
